5 Ways in Which Exhibitions Can Help Your Brand

In a world where technology and data have made almost all business processes electronic, there is an undeniable distance created between manufacturers/ marketeers and their customers. Marketing teams often manage operations without leaving their desks. Exhibitions help to bridge this gap.

5 Ways in Which Exhibitions Can Help Your Brand

Trade shows and exhibitions serve as a platform for companies, consumers, professionals and industry experts to come together, share information, network and build business relationships. Across the world, exhibitions are an essential part of product marketing and brand building. In emerging markets like India, they serve as influential catalysts for industrial and commercial growth.

So how can exhibitions help your brand? Let’s discuss some of the ways exhibitions can benefit your brand.

1. Showcase your brand

Exhibitions offer businesses a platform to create a lasting impression and engage customers in a way that is more impactful and memorable than most other marketing media. Companies can showcase their brand, promote their brand values and strengths with creative exhibition booth design. With eye-catching product displays, immersive virtual reality experiences, unique giveaways and other promotional ideas, customers can better experience your brand.

2. Face-to-face interaction

Research, marketing, advertising, taking orders, deliveries, answering queries – almost everything today can be done digitally. However, customers still want ‘real’ interaction with the brands they are buying. They want to meet real people and build real relationships. Exhibitions offer this opportunity to introduce yourself and your company, personally present your product or service, listen to customer opinion and build ‘real’ customer relations.

3. Learning

Exhibitions offer a great learning experience. You can interact with customers and encourage feedback which will help you gain insights to improve your product or service. You also get a chance to study the competition, update knowledge, listen to industry experts at seminars that are organised at the trade show, and generally get the pulse of the market or industry.

4. Targeted marketing

Generally, exhibitions are organised for a specific industry, so exhibitors can participate in the ones most relevant to them and their offering. Here, brands can showcase their products and technologies to a niche audience. Unlike advertising, where money is spent on a more blurred and mass audience, trade shows are more specific and relevant. Visitors are people who are interested in your industry and specifically looking for the products on display.

5. Product launch

Exhibitions can be used as soft launch pads for new innovations and product upgrades. Feasibility can be put to the test. If the new product does not appeal to the niche audience at the trade show, it will most probably not work in the market. Also, such launches can help garner invaluable feedback so companies can modify and tailor their innovations before the hard launch.

No wonder that many companies now consider business exhibitions and trade fairs a vital element of their marketing strategy. Point to remember is that participation is not a guarantee for big sales, but it will definitely contribute to brand building. Overall, considering the many advantages and benefits to be gained, exhibitions deliver good return on investment.

Pre-Exhibition Marketing Methods to Ensure More Footfalls at Your Stall

Participating in a trade show is a serious business. For companies, it’s a platform to promote their brand and expertise, and usually involves a hefty investment. Rent for the exhibition booth space, the cost of creative exhibition stand design and installation, travel and accommodation expenses incurred by company staff attending the trade show, free give-aways and other expenses – they all add up to a fairly large number. So naturally, you have to get good return on investment.

Pre-Exhibition Marketing Methods to Ensure More Footfalls at Your Stall

Whether you are looking for sales leads or to create a buzz for your brand, whether yours is a custom built exhibition stand or a modular design, success depends on getting the right people and the right volume to your booth.

Plan ahead

Research has shown that about 70% of attendees usually make a list of the stands they plan to visit long before they enter the exhibition hall or convention centre. Most individuals visit trade shows with the intent of finding products, services, and solutions so they have a predefined plan for the stalls they will visit during the event. Hence, it is necessary to ensure that visiting your exhibition stall becomes a part of your target audience’s agenda. To do that, they must be notified about your participation in an event in advance so that they are persuaded to visit your stall.

Here are 4 marketing methods to increase the footfall at your exhibition stall and maximize the return on your investment.

1. Harness the reach of social media

Social media is a great way to notify your target group that you are participating in a specific trade show. Create posts for your business page on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and promote your exhibit. You can highlight features of your stall, introduce special offers, share videos of your product and invite visitors to come see/try the product up close.

2. Design a catchy email campaign

When it comes to email, there are two groups to target. Firstly your inhouse database of regular customers, local contacts and solid prospects. Secondly, the registered attendees of the trade show. Organisers will usually give you access to this list, so you can shortlist possible prospects and reach out to them.

Though the most ideal strategy would be to send personalised mails or invites, it may not be practical. In any case, email marketing is a really effective and inexpensive way of informing visitors and attracting leads. Here, rather than generic invitations, try highlighting a fresh offer or product feature that works as a hook to rouse curiosity and build interest in your product or company. 

3. Invest in digital marketing

While promoting your event on social media is free, it can be helpful to leverage paid ads and posts to ensure the right people see your communication through targeting. You could also build an interactive microsite with simple questions, drop-down lists etc. encouraging visitors to set an appointment for meeting at your stand. It’s a great way to ensure potential visitors visit your exhibition booth.

4. Go offline too

In addition to online channels, don’t forget to use every offline opportunity as well. You could publish advertisements in industry magazines to promote your exhibit and make a case for prospects to visit your trade show booth.

There are many companies who prefer to use snail mail too, sending creative invitations and direct mailers. In our increasingly digital world, holding attractive communication in your hand has its own appeal.

Conclusion

When planning your pre-exhibition marketing strategy, it’s worth remembering that even a creative exhibition stand design can draw crowds. But high footfall doesn’t always translate into success. A well-planned and efficiently-executed pre-exhibition marketing strategy can ensure that a high percentage of visitors are from your target demographic so you generate more relevant leads.

Showcasing Creativity in Exhibition Design

For any business, big or small, exhibitions and trade shows are marketing opportunities they cannot afford to miss. Any company or brand who understands the value of Integrated Marketing knows that exhibitions are yet another touch point to communicate the brand promise. It's a chance to create visibility - and build credibility.

Trade shows offer an unparalleled platform to showcase products & services, meet and study the competition, interact with existing and prospective customers, stimulate business and build brand value.

One of the strongest reasons to participate in trade shows is that it provides highly targeted leads. People visiting the trade show will necessarily be interested in the companies and products on display, so you will garner leads that are far more relevant and worthwhile than names acquired anywhere else. In fact, visitors to trade shows are also more open to ‘shop’ on the spot.

Exhibitions offer an unmatched opportunity for strengthening your Brand. Business success depends greatly on branding, especially in industries that depend on trust.  At the trade show, you can communicate your brand values, and ‘display’ to your industry that you are a serious, reliable player.

For startups and small to medium companies, just by sharing the same space as larger companies, you can position yourself as a company that means business. And if you have a creative exhibition stall design, you’ll be able to attract eyeballs and strengthen your brand image.

According to Paul Woodward, Managing Director of UFI - The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, “Even in this day and age of exciting multi-channel and internet-based communication, the need for personal interaction has never been more important. There is a significant value of meeting with clients and future customers in person, experiencing that business is conducted between “real” people and moreover based on trust. The combination of exhibitions and virtual marketing are essential components to any company's communications strategy and ideally go hand in hand.”

Interics Designs is an Exhibition Design Company with over 25 years of experience in effective and creative exhibition stall design for varied clients – big and small, local and MNC, B2B and B2C. Our team of professional designers stalls builders & contractors ensure you get a booth design for exhibition that does your company proud. Distinctive 3D stall designs, eye-catching graphics, and flawless execution – it’s delivered in one expert, reliable and timely package by SEED (Smart and Effective Exhibition Design), and the Exhibition wing at Interics. For a trade show stall that creates a buzz for your brand, contact 

www. smartexhibitiondesign.com